Professional integrity

What you do for a living does not define your character. I don't presume to judge whether you're a good or bad person based solely on your profession. It simply indicates how you earn your income and possibly how much debt you may accrue. Whether you're a GP, corporate lawyer, cleaner, or on a DSP, it tells me literally nothing about you.

This realisation stems from many traumatic experiences within the public mental health system. In this environment, some of the most meaningful conversations that made me feel truly human occurred while sharing a smoke with fellow traveler's, security guards, and cleaners. Conversely, some of the most dismissive interactions, which left me feeling invisible, came from health professionals who exuded an air of omniscience and superiority, often clad in expensive attire costing thousands of dollars.

Professional integrity is a cornerstone of ethical behaviour within any profession, serving as a guiding principle for individuals as they navigate their roles and responsibilities. It encompasses a commitment to honesty, reliability, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that professionals uphold moral and ethical standards in their interactions and decision-making processes. However, recent inquiries such as the Australian Royal Commissions have shed light on instances where professional integrity has been compromised, often with devastating consequences.

One notable example is the institutional responses to childhood sexual abuse, as highlighted in the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Within organisations entrusted with the care and protection of children, including schools, religious institutions, and government agencies, there were shocking revelations of individuals who failed to uphold their duty to safeguard the vulnerable.

Nurses, police officers, teachers, and child protection authorities, who were remunerated to care for and protect children, were found to have enabled the abuse through inaction, negligence, or even active concealment. Despite their professional obligations and the trust placed in them, they abandoned their professional integrity when it was most needed, prioritising institutional interests or self-preservation over the well-being of those they were supposed to serve.

Similarly, the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability uncovered systemic failures within the disability care sector. Caregivers, who purportedly entered the profession out of compassion and empathy, were found to have perpetrated financial exploitation, physical abuse, and neglect against vulnerable individuals. Their actions contradicted the values of professionalism and integrity they espoused, revealing a stark misalignment between rhetoric and reality.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide further highlighted instances where politicians, entrusted with the welfare of veterans, failed to heed their cries for help – local politicians to their constituents – who failed to advocate for them. Despite pledging to prioritize positive change and integrity in public office, some politicians disregarded the needs of veterans, contributing to a crisis of mental health and suicide within the veteran community.

Additionally, the Banking Royal Commission exposed unethical practices within the financial sector, where the pursuit of profit often took precedence over the well-being of customers. Financial institutions, tasked with managing the finances and assets of individuals and businesses, were found to have engaged in exploitative behaviour, such as charging fees for no service, misleading customers, and prioritizing sales targets over ethical conduct.

In each of these instances, the erosion of professional integrity had far-reaching consequences, undermining trust in institutions, damaging lives, and perpetuating systemic injustices. The individuals and organizations involved not only betrayed the fundamental principles of their professions but also violated the trust placed in them by society.

True professional integrity extends beyond mere adherence to codes of conduct or rhetoric; it requires a genuine commitment to ethical behaviour, accountability, and the well-being of those served. It demands courage to speak out against wrongdoing, even in the face of opposition or personal risk, and a willingness to prioritize principles over profit or institutional interests.

Ultimately, the revelations from recent Royal Commissions serve as a sobering reminder of the importance of upholding professional integrity in all aspects of work. It is not enough to simply pay lip service to ethical values; true integrity is demonstrated through actions that prioritize the welfare of others more vulnerable than you and uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct. Anything less is a betrayal of the trust placed in professionals and a disservice to those they are meant to serve.

With love and expereince

R and H x